Kounde brace leads Barca to 2–1 comeback win

KATHMANDU: Barcelona returned to Champions League action at Camp Nou after three years with a hard-fought 2–1 comeback victory over Eintracht Frankfurt on Tuesday night, thanks to a stunning second-half brace from defender Jules Koundé.

Despite dominating the attack early on, Barcelona failed to convert their chances as Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha all came close but couldn’t find the target.

Instead, it was Frankfurt who struck first. In the 21st minute, Ansgar Knauff latched onto Nathaniel’s pass, broke into the box and silenced the Catalan crowd with a composed finish, giving the visitors a 1–0 lead.

Barcelona increased their attacking pressure after falling behind, but missed opportunities from Yamal and Raphinha meant the first half ended with Frankfurt ahead.

The momentum shifted dramatically after the break. Koundé ended Barcelona’s frustration with two goals in just four minutes.

In the 50th minute, he met a Marcus Rashford cross with a sharp header from close range to level the score.

Three minutes later, he repeated the feat—this time heading home a precise cross from Yamal from almost the same position—to give Barcelona a 2–1 lead.

The Catalans held firm until the final whistle, securing an important win in front of their home fans.

With the victory, Hansi Flick’s side now sits 14th in the standings with 10 points from three wins and one draw in six matches.

Frankfurt, meanwhile, remain near the bottom, placed 30th out of 36 teams with four points from one win and one draw.